Max Verstappen recently spoke against the FIA’s attempt to limit the free speech of the F1 drivers. The Dutchman resisting the new decree by the governing body was surprising as it was coming through an unlikely source.
Considering Verstappen hardly says anything related to boiling issues in the sport or anywhere else and prefers to speak only on racing, his comments surely raised some eyebrows.
So when the world champion who likes to be known as apolitical speaks up means something is wrong. And that has also prompted Formula 1 CEO Stefano Domenicali to make a response.
#F1: The FIA has banned all drivers, including at Formula 1 level, from making any non-neutral “political, religious or personal” statements or comments without prior permission.
— deni (@fiagirly) December 20, 2022
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Max Verstappen gets a response from the F1 boss
Speaking on the reported ban on political statements on F1 platforms, Domenicali has affirmed that neither the FIA nor F1 is trying to gag the drivers and would still continue to give them a space to speak.
“Everyone wants to talk, so to have the platform to say what they want in the right way, the better it is,” he said to Guardian. “We have a huge opportunity because our sport’s position is increasingly global, multicultural and multivalued.
Domenicali further adds that they won’t change this approach as a sport and would keep giving drivers a platform to speak until they speak appropriately without offending anyone.
The need to find an acceptable resolution
The contradicting statement to FIA’s new rule shows the rising tensions between the FIA and the F1 owners Liberty Media, which haven’t been impressed by the governing body’s ruling over the recent years.
There have been instances where some of the decisions have gone against the interests of the owners of the sport. Nevertheless, Domenicali claims he is pursuing a viable resolution between both parties, i.e., F1 drivers and FIA, over this ruling.
Meanwhile, he expects the FIA to clarify more to the drivers and specify to them what can be said and not said. Moreover, he also emphasized with the FIA over their recent ruling.
He states that since the ruling motorsport body is a part of the International Olympic Committee, there are some laws that the FIA must abide by to align with the international body.
